The body of Earl Thomas, 13 year old son of Cecil Thomas, a farmer living near Protection, was found shortly after noon on Monday of this week, 15 weeks after the boy left home, November 9, 1943.

Monroe Harbaugh, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Harbaugh who lives about eight miles south of Protection had gone to the north field of the Harbaugh farm to relieve a farm hand who was planting barley when, as he drove along, he saw in a gully what appeared to be a body, which proved to be that of the missing boy.

County Coroner R. A. J. Shelley and Sheriff Gloyd C. Hadley of Coldwater were called, and it was discovered that the boy, who was lying on his back, fully clothed, had been shot between his eyes. About 18 inches before his right hand was the .22 caliber rifle he was carrying when he left home. About 12 inches from the gun were one and one-half boxes of shells and a box of matches, all unburned. The authorities state that it is apparent that the boy, exhausted and chilled, decided to end his life. An empty shell was in the gun.

The body was lying in a gully about a mile north of the Harbaugh home and about six and a half miles south of the Thomas home. A bank of Russian thistles was a few feet north of the body which had been entirely unmolested. The rusted gun was about half covered by eroded soil. The night that Earl left home and during several days following, scores of searchers on foot had combed the territory, some passing near where the body lay, and the Civil Air Patrol from Dodge City flew a plane carrying the father over the spot in the gully, but it is thought that the thistles at that time had hidden the lad from view. His tracks were followed to within a quarter of a mile of the small gully which adjoined a wheat field and there his tracks were lost.

Footprints which led to the main highway a mile or two south of the scene of the tragedy were later found to be those of a member of the searching party. It was thought by most of our citizens that Earl had reached the highway and had caught a ride with a trucker to the ranch country in New Mexico or Texas.

Earl Thomas was born on March 20, 1930, at the home of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence F. Nichols, who live northeast of Protection, a few days before the death of his mother. He attended the Protection schools and was liked by all his classmates. He was a close observer and became adapt at running a tractor. He is survived by his father and stepmother, two stepbrothers and two stepsisters. His tragic death comes as a distinct shock to the entire community.

A burial service was held at 9:30 o'clock Tuesday morning in the Protection cemetery and a memorial service was held in the Protection Baptist church at 3 o'clock during the afternoon. The service was in charge of the pastor, Rev. G. E. Robey, who brought a comforting, message. Earl's classmates in the Protection school attended in a body.

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EARL
SON OF CECIL & THELMA
1930 - 1943
TO KNOW HIM WAS TO LOVE HIM

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Also see:

Obituary: Thelma Earline (Nichols) Thomas, The Protection Post, April 10, 1930.

Richard Franklin Thomas, grandfather of Earl Thomas.

Mary Elizabeth (Root) Thomas, grandmother of Earl Thomas.

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Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!

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